EP3276584A1 - Device and method for detecting fuel theft - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for detecting fuel theft in a vehicle (5), which has a sensor, an evaluation unit (9) and an alarm unit (18). According to the invention, it is provided that the sensor is an axle load sensor (11, 12, 21, 22, 31, 32, ..., 61, 62).

Description

The invention relates to a device and a method for detecting fuel theft in a vehicle, in particular in commercial vehicles.

The WO 2015/035431 A1 shows a device for detecting fuel theft in a vehicle having a sensor, an evaluation unit and an alarm unit.

A disadvantage of this is to be considered that the sensor is to be mounted on the filler neck, which is time consuming and expensive. The task is to propose an improved facility.

According to the invention, the sensor for detecting a parameter indicative of a fuel theft is an axle load sensor for measuring the axle load of the vehicle. The signal from the axle load sensor is checked by the evaluation unit to determine whether the axle load remains constant or changes. In the case of fuel theft, the axle load is reduced, which is detected by a cyclic measurement. The axle load measurement on one axle is sufficient if the tank is located close to it and measured with sufficient accuracy. An advantage of the invention is that an on-board weighing system integrated in the truck can be used to generate the axle load sensor signals. So there are no additional hardware elements required for measurement or display. The fuel theft detection device is activated only when the vehicle is idle, not at times when the vehicle weight or axle load changes. During normal driving or when loading and unloading the vehicle, the device is deactivated.

It is envisaged that the alarm unit triggers audible and / or visual signals on the vehicle to deter the thieves. However, in addition or alternatively it can also issue an alarm message to the vehicle driver, the owner of the vehicle, the police or other suitable instances via a data line, via a data bus, by radio, mobile radio, WLAN, etc., in order to enable them to intervene.

According to the invention, axle load sensors are arranged on different axles and / or on different sides of the vehicle. This makes it possible to distinguish changes in vehicle weight caused by fuel theft from changes in vehicle weight due to other causes. Fuel theft causes the axle load in the vicinity of the fuel tank (s) to change, while other causes, such as increased weight due to snowfall or weight loss due to melting of snow on the vehicle, cause a more uniform axle load change. By evaluating several sensors of different axes or different vehicle sides false alarms can be avoided.

Preferably, the device according to the invention has an independent power supply, so that it is functional even when the ignition is switched off.

The device according to the invention is connected to a control unit. The control unit is supplied with the measured data. The control unit saves the measured data. If the measured data are transmitted encrypted, they are either decrypted and stored by the control unit, or stored as encrypted data. An evaluation of the data is preferably carried out in the control unit.

According to the invention, it is provided to use a digital tachograph as control unit.

In this case, the evaluation unit is integrated in the digital tachograph, which also serves to display and store the sensor data or the information and alarm messages derived therefrom.

An inventive method of detecting fuel theft in a vehicle includes the steps of: detecting a parameter indicative of a fuel theft, the parameter being an axle load, evaluating the detected axle load and triggering an alarm if the evaluation has resulted in fuel theft. This has the advantages described above for the device according to the invention.

According to the invention it is provided that the detection of the parameter takes place at intervals. This reduces the energy consumption for detecting and evaluating, whereby nevertheless a suitable detection of the time intervals enables a high detection reliability of a fuel theft. A decrease in axle load over time indicates fuel theft. If the axle load decreases very slowly, it may be fine if the decrease is due to evaporation, for example, or too slow for fuel theft for another reason. When evaluating several detected at different points of the vehicle parameters are included with different weighting. In fuel theft, the weight on the axle closest to the tank will decrease more than the parameters on the other axles. If a typical fuel theft pattern of change in axle load occurs, fuel theft is detected, otherwise weight loss is believed to have other causes. If a non-typical fuel sting profile occurs but there is an uneven increase or decrease in axle load, this may indicate cover-up actions taken by the thieves. For example The thieves could add weight elsewhere in the vehicle to disguise fuel theft.

According to the invention, it is provided that the time intervals between two measurements of the axle load xi are shortened if signs of a fuel theft are detected. As a result, a more frequent evaluation is achieved, with which a decision can be made more quickly whether it is actually a theft or whether the change of the axle load has other causes. In this case, a higher energy consumption of the device is accepted in order to avoid a false alarm or to be able to quickly trigger an actual alarm.

An evaluation unit according to the invention has a sensor signal input, an alarm signal output and a weight sensor signal evaluation unit.

Figur 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Einrichtung,

Figur 2

ein Flussdiagramm eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens,

Figur 3

eine erfindungsgemäße Auswerteeinheit.

Further advantages of the invention can be taken from the following description of exemplary embodiments. Showing:

FIG. 1

a schematic representation of a device according to the invention,

FIG. 2

a flow chart of a method according to the invention,

FIG. 3

an evaluation unit according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a device according to the invention in a consisting of tractor 3 and trailer 4 vehicle 5. The towing vehicle 3 has a front axle 10 and two rear axles 20, 30. In the following, arranged on the left side 1 of the vehicle 5 elements with on "1" or "3" ending two-digit reference numerals provided, arranged on the right side 2 with "2" or "4" ending two-digit reference numerals.

On the axle 10 is a left wheel 13 and a right wheel 14. Furthermore, there are axle load sensors 11 and 12 on the left and right side. Corresponding wheels 23, 24, 33, 34 and axle load sensors 21, 22, 31, 32 are located on the rear axles 20, 30. The axle load sensors 11, 12, 21, 22, 31, 32 are connected by means of a signal line 6 to a control unit 7, which is also referred to as ECU (Electrical Control Unit). This is shown schematically here. The axle load sensors are associated with the wheels and generally mounted on the axle. In principle, however, it is also conceivable that the sensors of the wheel hub or in the region of the wheels are mounted.

The trailer 4 has a front axle 40 and two rear axles 50, 60. Wheels 43, 44, 53, 54, 63, 64 and axle load sensors 41, 42, 51, 52, 61, 62 are arranged on these wheels. The sensors 41, ..., 62 are connected via a signal line 6 'to a control unit 7' of the trailer 4. The control units 7, 7 'are interconnected by means of a signal connection 8. The signal connection 8 may be both a physical connection, such as an electrical line or an optical line, as well as a radio link. The control units 7, 7 'are further connected to an evaluation unit 9, which is shown here as a digital tachograph 19. The evaluation unit 9 is connected to an alarm unit 18. These are connected by means of a signal connection 8 with each other and with the control units 7, 7 '.

All elements of the device are provided with a power supply, which is also designated EV, which is independent of the power supply of the towing vehicle 3 and the trailer 4. This is indicated by means of a power supply 37, which is connected to the alarm unit 18, with a power supply 27 connected to the evaluation unit 9, a power supply unit 17 connected to the control unit 7, and a power supply unit 17 'connected to the control unit 7'. The power supply units 17, 17 'supply the axle load sensors 11, 12, 21, 22, 31, 32 and 41, 42, 51, 52, 61, 62 via the control units 7, 7'. Alternatively, it is provided that each of the axle load sensors 11,..., 62 has its own energy supply, not shown here. This is, for example, a rechargeable battery, a storage capacitor or another suitable energy supply.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a method according to the invention. After the start S1, a delay time D is set to 15 minutes, see step S2. In step S3, it is checked if the delay time D has elapsed. If this is the case, a parameter xi indicative of a fuel theft is detected in step S4. According to the invention, the parameter is the axle load, which is either a single value xi or is determined for several axles x = 1, 2,..., And several sides i = 1, 2 of the vehicle.

In step S5, it is checked whether the axle load is constant or not. If it is constant, a branch is made to step S1. Otherwise, it is checked in step S6 whether the changes Δxi of the axle load value xi is below a threshold value THR1. If this is the case, a branch is made to step S1. If a plurality of axle load values xi is present, it is either checked whether the changes Δxi of the sum of all axle load values xi is below a threshold value THR1 or whether each individual change Δxi is below a respective threshold value THR1xi. If the threshold value THR1, THR1xi exceeded, according to a first embodiment of the invention, there is sufficient evidence of fuel theft, it is triggered without further intermediate steps in step S10 an alarm. According to a variant of the invention, it is checked in step S7 whether the change Δxi is smaller than a second threshold value THR2 or THR2xi. If this is the case, an alarm is triggered in step S10. Otherwise, a branch is made to step S11, in which the delay time D is reduced. In FIG. 2 is given a reduced delay time D of one minute. Depending on the given boundary conditions, the delay times D in step S2 and S11 may be selected to be greater or smaller than specified here.

According to a variant of the invention, it is checked in step S8 whether the changes Δxi of axle load values xi are positive and changes Δyj of other axle load values yj are negative. If this is not the case, a branch is made to step S1. Otherwise, it is checked in step S9 whether this profile found represents a normal behavior in the course of operation of the vehicle 5. If this is the case, a branch is made to step S1. Otherwise, this is interpreted as an indication of a fuel theft and branched to step S10. Alternatively, even in the presence of normal behavior, branched to step S11 instead of step S1, and only a longer delay time D is chosen again when the changes Δxi again below the first threshold THR1, THR1xi or the second threshold THR2, THR2xi.

In step S10, according to one embodiment of the invention, both an audible and visual signal is triggered on the vehicle 5, as well as an alarm message to the driver, the vehicle owner and / or the police by radio, mobile, short-range radio or other suitable means forwarded. At the same time, a branch is made to step S11 in order to further evaluate the signals of the axle load sensors 11,..., 62.

FIG. 3 It shows an evaluation unit 9 according to the invention. It has a sensor signal input 91, a weight sensor signal evaluation unit 92, and an alarm signal output 93.

The evaluation unit 9 also has a display unit 94, by means of which an optical alarm for the driver, but also status information such as the current axle load, change the axle load over a certain period, or the like, are output. The evaluation unit 9 also has a mobile radio unit 95, by means of which an SMS is forwarded to the mobile telephone of the driver, or another suitable status or alarm message to a data processing system located outside the vehicle 5. The evaluation unit 9 also has a memory 96, by means of which the axle load values xi are stored for later evaluation.

In other words, the invention eliminates the disadvantage occurring in accordance with known solutions that additionally a hardware for measuring or for displaying must be installed in the vehicle. The fleet manager incurs additional costs for the hardware and for the installation. Another point is the evaluation of the data. For this an additional system in the back office is required, which causes additional monthly costs.

By an integrated in the truck, the vehicle 5, on-board weighing system, the weight of the towing vehicle 3 and the trailer, the trailer 4, measured. This system is needed in towing vehicle 3 and trailer 4 to measure the axle loads. The system is designed to perform cyclic vehicle weight measurements, both with the ignition on and the ignition off.

If the weight changes from one measurement to the next continuously, an alarm is triggered. This is on the one hand an alarm that is triggered on the vehicle 5, comparable to an alarm system, and / or on the other a warning that is sent to the owner or to the driver. To avoid false alarms, usually a threshold THR1, THR2 will be chosen which will be relative or absolute can, defined, which ensures that an alarm is triggered only when the threshold value is exceeded or fallen below.

With the introduction of an axle load control law by means of an on-board weighing system, such a measuring system will be integrated with every new truck. The possibility of retrofitting existing vehicles, even without legal basis, is also given. The display and storage of the data is preferably carried out with the integrated in each truck digital tachograph. No additional hardware is needed for theft detection. Additional system maintenance is not necessary if the onboard cradle system is calibrated. Follow-up costs are avoided.

The invention may also be used in a modification to detect cargo theft, change in the weight of the load based on other reasons, or theft of other equipment by controlling the weight.

According to the invention, at least one on-board weighing sensor, referred to in the preceding description as an axle load sensor 11, 12,..., 61, 62, is installed, which measures the vehicle weight. Via a control unit 7, 7 ', here also referred to as Electrical Control Unit, ECU, the data is a detection and Aufzeichnunsqerät, the evaluation unit 9, which is for example a digital tachograph 19, provided. This device evaluates the data and triggers an alarm when threshold values THR1, THR2 are exceeded. In addition, this device safely stores data and makes it available to other devices as needed, which then trigger further actions. As an example of such a device, reference is made to the alarm unit 18.

According to one variant, an encrypted data transmission takes place via the signal connection 8. The encryption takes place here in the axle load sensors 11,..., 62 and the decryption in the evaluation unit 9. The encryption prevents manipulation of the data and ensures the reliability of the data. However, encryption is not required either for the measuring method or for the present application, the detection of fuel theft. But it increases security and can be used effectively if necessary. In contrast to the existing sensor, which is installed in each tank for level measurement, the solution according to the invention is tamper-proof. The built-in sensor in the tank can also be used either at intervals or constantly as a signal source to monitor the level. However, this sensor can be easily manipulated electrically on the connector. Also, the power consumption for monitoring is higher than in the inventive solution.

It is within the ability of those skilled in the art to modify some of the variants described above or to implement them in any combination other than those described above.

Claims (10)

Device for detecting fuel theft in a vehicle (5), comprising: a sensor, an evaluation unit (9), an alarm unit (18), characterized in that the sensor is an axle load sensor (11,12,21,22,31,32, ..., 61,62). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that axle load sensors (11, 12, 21, 22, 31, 32, ..., 61, 62) on different axes (10, 20, ..., 60) and / or on different Pages (1, 2) of the vehicle (5) are arranged. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises a power supply (17, 17 ', 27, 37) independent of the ignition of the vehicle (5). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device is connected to a control device. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control device is a digital tachograph (19). A method of detecting fuel theft in a vehicle (5), comprising the steps of: Detecting (S4) a parameter indicative of fuel theft, - Evaluate (S5, S6, ..., S9) of the detected parameter and Triggering (S10) an alarm if the evaluation (S5, ..., S9) has resulted in fuel theft, characterized in that the parameter is an axle load (xi) of the vehicle (5). A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the detection (S4) of the axle load (xi) takes place at time intervals (S2, S3, S11). A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the time intervals (S11) are shortened when evidence of fuel theft is detected. Method according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that during evaluation (S5, ..., S9) several, at different points of the vehicle (5) detected parameters (xi, yj) are included with different weighting. Evaluation unit for a device for detecting fuel theft, comprising: a sensor signal input (91), an alarm signal output (93) and - A weight sensor signal evaluation unit (92).

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